The Chesterton
Stormwater Management Board has authorized Street Commissioner John
Schnadenberg to solicit quotes for two drainage projects.

At their meeting
Monday night, members voted unanimously to green-light the quote process on
both projects.

The first would
remedy a long-standing pooling problem in the alley between Wabash Ave. and
Grant Ave. west of North Calumet Road.

Schnadenberg noted
that it’s his plan ultimately to pave all of the alleys in the town’s
business district but before this alley can get a coat of asphalt the
drainage problem has to be solved, by installing a drain in the center of
the alley. Estimated cost: $25,000.

The second project
would remedy a second long-standing pooling problem, this one on South 11th
Street at the intersection of Crab Tree Lane, just north of 1100N.
Schnadenberg is similarly hopeful of obtaining a grant this year to re-pave
South 11th Street between 1100N and West Porter Ave., but a drainage fix
would first be necessary.

The estimated cost
of piping runoff to a stormwater sewer 300 feet east on Crab Tree Lane:
between $50,000 and $75,000.

Under state law, a
municipality may solicit quotes for projects whose estimated cost is under
$150,000. The municipality must, however, solicit at least three quotes.

Public Outreach:

CHS Environmental
Club

In other business,
MS4 Operator Jennifer Gadzala reported that she’s begun working with the
Chesterton High School’s Environmental Club, which is interested in
conducting a water quality study of stormwater runoff from the CHS property.

Club members are
specifically hoping to sample water from the school’s outflow sites and then
conduct field-testing, to see what exactly is running off the school roof,
parking lot and football stadium during rain events.

The program will
start later this spring and run through the end of the academic year,
Gadzala said.

Public Outreach:

Rain Barrel
Workshop

Gadzala also
reported that she will be making a brief presentation on the Town of
Chesterton’s MS4 program at a rain barrel workshop scheduled for 5 p.m.
Wednesday, March 22, at the Baugher Center, 100 W. Indiana Ave.

The workshop is
being hosted by the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County.

Residences at
Coffee Creek

Gadzala also
reported that she is currently reviewing the Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Plan filed by the developers of the Residences at Coffee Creek, a 110-unit,
$20-million senior living facility under development just south of Sidewalk
Road, west of Kelle Drive, north of Village Point, and east of Ind. 49.

Stormwater Fee
Exemption

Bill Killed in
Committee

Gadzala took a
moment at the end of the meeting to report that Senate Bill 502--which would
have exempted church, school, and agricultural property from the assessment
of stormwater fees--has been killed in committee.

That bill was
introduced by State Sens. Aaron Freeman, R-32nd, and Blake Doriot, R-12th,
but is now dead, Gadzala said.

Town Engineer Mark
O’Dell had estimated that, should the bill have been passed, the Stormwater
Utility would have lost $26,341.20 every year in the fees paid by the 12
churches and five Duneland School properties located in the Town of
Chesterton.

February in Review

In February the
Stormwater Utility ran a surplus of $24,430 and in the year-to-date is
running a surplus of $40,806.